Tweezers.



V 1 S. RISLEY. TWEEZERS.

APPLICATION men JULY 12. ms.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

J ImmiiEH 72622555 55.- d. xzma FFTOEI.

SHERIDAN RISLEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND DENTALMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TWEEZERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application filed July 12, 1915. Serial No. 39,806.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SHERIDAN RISLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tweezers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates generally to tweezers or pliers, and particularlyto that class of devices utilized in holding small pieces of material.

More specifically the invention relates to tweezers or pliers utilizedby dentists in holding small articles, such as filling mate rials,cotton, wire or similar articles, and it comprises a pair of spring jawsarranged to normally move into the open position and provided with asuitable locking device which automatically locks the two members whenmoved into clamping position irrespective of the position of theinstrument.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in theconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth in thefollowing description, drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the devicewith the jaws open; Fig. 2 is a similar View with the jaws closed; Fig.3 is a plan View; and Fig. 4L is a similar view showing the details ofthe lock.

In carrying out the invention any preferred form of device may beprovided with my invention, so long as it possesses the necessarycharacteristics, but I have shown one arrangement which is in accordancewith the invention, and in such embodiment 1 represents a suitable endportion provided with two spring clamping members 2 and 8 which arearranged to normally spring away from each other, as shown in Fig. 1.These two members are provided with suitable clamping ends 4 and 5respectively of any preferred type, those in the drawings being showncurved to one side of the instrument. The clamping member 2 is providedwith an opening 6 preferably in the form of a slot with a camming face 7formed in the stock at the rear of the slot, asshown in Fig. 4, and fora purpose to be described. The other member is provided with a slot 8somewhat longer but generally in alinement with the slot 6. On each sideof this slot 8 are suitable ears 9 adapted to receive a pivot pin 10upon which is mounted a latching bar 11 engaging in the slot 8 andadapted for engagement in the slot 6 when the clamping members areclosed.

The latching member is provided with a trip 13 arranged on the oppositeside of the pin 10 and adapted to engage the underside of the member 2and cause the hook 12 to move over the member 2. The latching member 11is of such a shape that it provides a serrated finger portion 14 on theoutside of the clamping member 2 when they are closed, and a serratedthumb portion 15 which normally extends to the outside of the clampingmember 3. One of the clamping members may be provided wfth a pin 16engaging in a suitable opening in the other mem ber to hold the clampingmembers in alinement.

In operation, the user forces the clamping members toward each otherwith the result that the clamping member 2 engages the trip 13 and movesthe latch member in clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4, with theresult that the hook portion 12 engages above or on the outside of theclamping member 2 causing the clamping jaws to be locked in closedposition, when the article being manipulated will be held rigidlybetween the two members. To release the members, the operator shifts thelatch in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in the drawings, bymanipulating either one or the other of the finger pieces. It is obviousfrom the disclosure-that the trip 13 will cause the latching of theclamping members irrespective of the position of the instrument.

Referring to Fig. l, the serrated finger and thumb portions 14 and 15,when the jaws are locked, extend outwardly beyond the two jaws of theinstrument. The latching member can, therefore, be operated directlyfrom either side, making it unnecessary to shift the position of thehand relative to the instrument, or vice versa, to release the jaws.Moreover, the engaging faces of the hook portion 12 of the latch and thejaw 2 with which it cooperates lie in a plane parallel to the length ofsaid jaw, when the instrument is in locked condition. Therefore, inreleasing the jaws the engaging surfaces of the latch and jaw slide overeach other without increasing the compression of said jaws, and withoutappreciable jar or vibration of the article being held.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. An instrument, comprisingconnected jaws having a normal tendency to move apart, one ofsaid jawscarrying a pivoted latching member arranged to engage the other jaw whenthe jaws are closed to lock the same, said latching member in lockedposition extending outwardly beyond both jaws whereby it may be actuatedfrom either side of the instrument.

2. An instrument, comprising connected jaws having a normal tendency tomove apart, one of said jaws carrying a pivoted latching member having athumb piece lying on the outside of said jaw, said member being arrangedto engage the other jaw when said jaws are closed to lock the same andhaving a second thumb piece lying on the outside of the other jaw whensaid jaws are looked, whereby the latching member may be actuated fromeither side of the instrument.

3. An instrument, comprising connected jai's having a normal tendency tomove apart, one of said jaws carrying a pivoted latching member having ahook portion arranged to engage a portion of the other jaw when the jawsare closed to lock the same,

the pivot of said member lying opposite said engaging portions and theengaging surfaces of said latching member and jaw lying in a planeparallel to the length of said jaw, whereby the latching member may bereleased without increasing the compression of said jaws.

4. An instrument, comprising connected jaws having a normal tendency tomove apart, one of said jaws carrying a pivoted latching member having ahook portion arranged to engage a portion of the other jaw when the jawsare closed to lock the same, the pivot of saidmember lying opposite saidengaging portions and the engaging surfaces of said latching member andjaw lying in a plane parallel to-the length ofsaid jaw, whereby thelatching member may be released without increasing the compression ofsaid jaws and said latching member being provided with two thumb pieceslying outside of the two j aws, whereby it may be operated from eithersideof the instrument.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SHERIDAN RISLEY.

lVitnesses:

ALTON H. BEMIs, A. L. LORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner otl'atentl,

Washington, I). G. a

